Hi everyone, I'm Melody. I have a 2003 Oldsmobile Aurora final 500. I have been doing a lot of work to restore it (sometimes I feel like I bit off more than I can chew haha)
I am hoping to find some like minded folks here for advice.
thanks for having me

 

Well I bought a used 2001 Olds Aurora it is a beautiful car for 2000 dollars last year
It had cracked radiator when I got it. I put new Radiator new Hood spring shocks so the hood would stay up
then a wheel bearing went out it has 150,000 miles Replaced both front wheel bearings
then I had to replace all the break lines and had to buy a 250 dollar tool from eastwood to create the bubble flares
then I replaced both front calipers cause when I replaced Brake pads one caliper was not returning freely.

Then intermittently it was overheating and the thermostat was sticking and that is why it was overheating
installed new thermostat and it was fine for about a month then it started sticking closed again.

Installed a more expensive thermostat and changed the water pump
and again it started overheating when the thermostat would still stick

the solution was found when after it was overheating I relieved some of the pressure from the radiator cap and of course I lost some coolant
but then the thermostat opened and I made it home OK

The Root cause is that the head gasket is leaking Exhaust gasses into the water chamber pressurizing it too rapidly and then when the thermostat Tries to open it cant overcome 18PSI system pressuue so I just bought a radiator cap that is only 7PSI and now the thermostat opens properly

I now have 4000 dollars in the car But it is OK the head gasket leak is pretty minor as no antifreeze is getting into engine as far as I can tell

 

the Overheating issue is not thermostat and not head gasket. i have new water pump new radiator
It seems to circulate water thru heater core but not radiator

cant drive on high way at 70 miles per hour or it will overheat in abut 10 miles

I have driven it around town and at 45 it maintains temp at 1/2

the fans do work but when it is overheating I quickly open hood and fans are blowing cold air

like the thermostat is not circulating the coolant thru the radiator

Vic